Vegan Soul Food at Everlasting Life

Who doesn’t love vegan soul food? The tasty indulgence of childhood Southern favorites with the shedded guilt of pulling heavy meat industry resources from the planet. Ahh, biting into a buffalo-sauced, meat-free wing is as close to extravagance. Although hard-core vegans would argue “why fake a meat dish at all?” I get it and lived that life as well. Today, I’ve embraced the middle road. Less inclined to be dogmatic about my diet but strict enough to stay within the imaginary lines of remaining consistent on the organic, natural path.

“Excuse me Sis, but you need to teach a tutorial on how to stay fit.” – 30 something guy in white suit, Everlasting Life Restaurant, Maryland

I have to admit the last time I’ve been to Everlasting Life was probably shortly after their opening on Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC almost two decades ago! The DC restaurant was since bought by Woodland Vegan Bistro in 2013. It was the first time after Queen Afua’s class (2000) near Howard University where Pyramid bookstore was housed so many moons ago, I had the sensual pleasure of tasting (for the first time) mock tuna, mock egg salad and seaweed salad that bursted with so many flavors my taste buds still anticipated its memorable suggestion. So after hitting BWI Airport and the gym out in Laurel I was famished and in need of some nutritional healing. I remember hearing Brother Red Pill and Professor Griff speak so highly of Everlasting Life this past August during their lecture circuit and since I was within driving distance I had to check them out. The line was long enough for to me figure out what I was going to sample by the time my turn came and I chose cabbage, mock mac and cheese, and various buffalo and barbecue meat-free wings. I admit I was searching for more dark green raw veggies (as I follow a half raw food to cooked food ratio in almost all of my meals). I almost picked up the seaweed salad but thought I haven’t had ‘soul food’ in so long I’d give it a try. After all, I am always eating raw greens and salads so why not? As I strolled to my car to tear open the container, before I was approached by a 30-something year old man in a white suit who had been on his phone talking real estate money moves and appointments, “Excuse me Sis, but you need to teach a tutorial?”

” A tutorial?” I laughed questioning in amusement exhausted emotionally by the turn of events in my personal life. “Yes, a tutorial on how you keep yourself so fit!” I was shocked at his comment. For one, he had come off to me as — lets say someone I thought uninterested in women, secondly, he was hella young (lol, oh Stella!), thirdly, I hadn’t been to the gym (seriously) in a few weeks and felt super guilty for my lack of motivation and allowing my personal life events to dictate my schedule and energy.

Everlasting Life Food Review

The food was pretty good, although I personally would have incorporated more various green foods – light green, dark green, blue-black, and purple foods with more “alive” energy that activated and nourished the melanin of its predominate customers. Everlasting foods were more mock soul food items that appealed to its demographic community. What struck me, further, was the amount of black people who were in those lines, some looked like your traditional ‘woke’ brothers or sisters while others did not. That struck me as how things have really changed where more blacks had embraced a more healthy lifestyle and seeking being vegan and vegetarian as a very real way of life. This awakening was transparent in the lines and popularity this store has in the community.

For my years of being vegan and vegetarian, however, I enjoy many different types of eclectic foods from many geographical origins of the world that are vegetarian and vegan based. I prefer raw veggies, greens, bitters and sweet fruits, and cooked beans with fresh, spicy or herbal dense tasting flavors. Overall, I loved the buffalo meatless wings and the cabbage was slamming. I’d frequent this vegan soul food spot in a heart beat!

I truly needed some healing sun! My weeks had been difficult emotionally and spiritually and the pentacle came Sunday morning when I had to cancel my flight to Costa Rica where I had planned on an Ethnobotany conference at Hidden Garden Sanctuary. I felt defeated by the forces and felt burnt out emotionally, physically and even spiritually. I found myself finding free parking near the Smithsonian and walking into a garden.

In my own personal experiences with Sun Gazing, Agnihotra (AM and PM Sun Rituals), Surya Namaskara Yoga practice,Sun Bathing and Sun Meditations, there is a powerful alchemy that takes place during the sun interfacing with the skin (integumentary system) receptors and our cellular molecular chemistry which boost immunity, organ health and functionality, and longevity. ~ Ria Sweetraw

The sun was beating down igniting and warming my skin and I embraced this kind of healing I was desperate for it. I roamed through the beautiful garden finding rosemary, varieties of sage, edible flowers, exotic shrubs, and their sheer beauty adorned and visited by bees and butterflies. I melted into this green space absorbed in the world of plants, water fountain sounds, and beauty looking at all the names and shapes of the trees, shrubs and perennials from around the country and world.

As the sun kissed my caramel skin it soon roasted my flesh into a reddish dark copper complexion which made me feel a natural high (probably from mere mental exhaustion) and lack of sleep. Nevertheless, the sun penetration did its job by the middle of my video I was feeling happiness fill my being and some rejuvenation. I was reading Jeff T Bowles, “The Miraculous Results Of Extremely High Doses Of The Sunshine Hormone Vitamin D3...” and in my own personal experiences with Sun Gazing, Agnihotra (AM and PM Sun Rituals), Surya Namaskara Yoga practice,Sun Bathing and Sun Meditations. I can assure you the Sun energy is one to be studied with reverence and an open eye and heart. Sun gazing, Sun bathing and Sun meditations have enormous benefits especially for people of darker hues aka melanin. There is a powerful alchemy that takes place during the sun interfacing with the skin (integumentary system) receptors and our cellular molecular chemistry which boost immunity, organ health and functionality, and longevity. Perhaps I will share more on this in a later post. 😉 In any case, I was rejuvenated both physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually!

Herbal Healing Hacks w Ria Sweetraw | NaturalSelfGoddess™ Blog♥

Quick Herbal Remedies Hack

I was approached a week ago by a coworker who insisted I give her remedies for her thyroid problem. I was shocked because I didn’t remember telling anyone about my years of herbal medicine practice. But for years I studied herbs and healed my children (and myself) with herbal remedies I got from books and healers in the community. I still wouldn’t call myself an herbal healer. I’ve listened to cutting edge researchers who are up on melanin, chemistry, ethno botanical herbs and foods and use scientific terms with skill and expertise. I am a fan of these teachers in the field of natural health, botany, chemistry, and melanin studies. I’m still learning and expanding to include in my own personal practice. I smile though when I share basic healing remedies I’ve personally used on my self or my children (who are long gone from home). What I gave her were some rather basic remedies and lifestyle changes (I stressed lifestyle changes) because dis-ease does not happen by chance or over night. Disease or imbalance is really maintained by poor habits; ignorant eating choices, poor exercise habits or lack thereof, and negative, self-limiting emotions.

Liver Flush Juice for Liver and Kidneys

Im not a fan of carrots as they are a hybrid vegetable so I will omit that from raw juicing but you can add if that is your taste.

I am fond of Beets and use them to also cleanse the kidneys and liver as a raw juice.

Ingredients: //apples, beets, ginger *optional dandelion leaves

1beet, rinsed, lightly peeled and quartered

1apple, peeled, cored and quartered

1Tbspsize piece of fresh ginger (skin removed)

can add dandelion leaves

Blend and strain.

Kidney Flush

Ingredients: //celery, cucumber, parsley, limes

1celery

3 cucumbers

1/2 bunch of celery

3 limes (or lemons)

1-2 cups of water

Water Tonic

Ingredients: //lemons, ginger, turmeric water

Lemon Turmeric Ginger Water Ritual

Healing Benefits of Lemon, Ginger Turmeric Water Ritual

Fresh Water and Coconut Water (Electrolytes)

Hydrate your body! Your body (organs, cells, etc) need water and are made up of over 65% water so keep the circulation of water recycling in a healthy way, your kidneys will thank you!

Exercise

3-5 days per week devote to some form of exercise such as yoga, stretching to increase flexibility, weight training such as lifting iron weights in repetitions to increase muscle strength, walking (if choosing this as the ONLY form of exercise is valuable to reduce heart disease, lower cholesterol, and body fat), swimming known to work the whole body (whole-body workout for all sizes and ages, great for people with injuries and asthma), dance

Sleep, Rest, Relaxation from Stress

Breathing practices, intentional breathing helps to regulate, relax and strengthen the Spirit, practice Pranayama (science of breath) techniques, Sleep (8 hours deep sleep) preferably in a dark room with no electronics such as phones, wifi, tvs or computers to reduce EMFs (Wifi/Radiation) that effect and interfere with brainwaves, nervous system, and depress immunity, melanin, hormonal health, Meditate – practice mindfulness 10-30 minutes a day, take some time to go into Nature to get grounded, breathe, go bare foot on the earth

Aromatherapy

Essential Oils used for thyroid (hypothyroidism)
** note: please research carefully to choose the right essential oil for your condition

cloves

myrrh

cedarwood

lavendar

sandalwood

spearmint

lemongrass

peppermint

frankincense

rose geranium

pine

Hope this helps! and I hope you injoy my video. It took me all day as a learning curve getting around Adobe Premiere and working around certain obstacles in the application along with YouTube but my first video! It will only get better!